Arrow rest



Aug. 13, 1957 w. VANCE 2,802,461

ARROW REST Filed Ma rch 16, 1956 FIGJ. .2

l i :L y "50 & L INVENTOR.

AWLTER VA l AT QMEYS United States Parent i '2,802,46`1' AR oW REST Walter Vallee, Northfield, Ohio Application March 16, 195 6, Serial No. 572,142

4 Claims. (Cl. 124-41) This invention relates in general to archery, and more particularly has reference to an arrow rest mountable upon a long bow.

Summarized briefly, the invention Comprises a bracket adapted to be clampably engaged with a long bow and extending at one side of the long bow. Carried by the bracket is an arrow support or rest member, and said rest member has guide means in the form of a pair of shock absorbent, blade-like elements which can be formed from lengths of feather or other relatively non-resilient but freely yieldable material. The. blade-like guide elements are disposed at right angles to one another, one extending vertically in the sense that it is in a plane paralleling the longitudinal center line of a vertically positioned bow, with the other extending laterally, outwardly from the bow. The vertically disposed guide element is adapted, when an arrow is propelled from `the bow, to prevent lateral deflection or deviation of the arrow as it leaps from the bow, which lateral deflection has heretofore caused the arrow to ricochet from the bow.

When one shoots an arrow from a bow, it is necessary that there be a resting place for the arrow during the time it is being drawn and aimed, and during its initial movement from the bow following release of the bow string. For firing, the bow is held in a Vertical position, and in some instances the arrow rests upon the hand holding the bow. In other cases the bow has a built-in shelf or projection on which the arrow is supported. stances the arrow rest is arranged to Support the weight of the arrow only, and the arrow is held against the side of the bow itself. l

When the arrow is fired, during the period from the release of the bow string until the arrow is beyond the bow, all circumstances intending t o impart accurate flight to the arrow must be fulfilled. However, heretofore there has been considerable tendency on the part of the arrow s Z,802,46l Patented Aug. 13, 1957 ther, if the archer holds the bow in a firm grip, there is a tendency to involuntarily twist the bow away from the direct draw line of the bow string which upon release will, whiledriving the arrow forward, also return to its proper position relative to the bow.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an arrow rest which will eliminate the above characteristices previously noted, tending to cause lateral deflecton of the arrow.

A more specific object is to provide an arrow rest adapted to be readily attached to or detached from any various conventional long bows with maximum ease and facility.

Another object of importance is to provide an support for an arrow during the time it is being drawn, aimed, and propelled. i

Another object is to provide a device as stated that will permit the archer to Shoot shorter, lighter arrows from a bow of given power. A

Another object is to provide a device as stated that will support the arrow away from the side of the bow itself, to prevent the arrow from striking the side of the bow and ricocheting in the manner previously described herein.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the Claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like reference Characters designate `like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a bow equpped with the arrow rest constituting the present invention, the rest being shown in side elevation inrsupporting relation to a conventional arrow fragmentarily In all inillustrated in dotted 1ines;` t n Figure 2 is an elevational view of the device and bow as Seen from the right of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 1 showingthe arrow rest in top plan; "Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the rest Pe se; e t t Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a modified construction; and t Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the outer end of the bow clainp. 4 Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral 10 generally designates a conventional long bow,

' having a handle 12. A conventional arrow has been generally designated at 14, and in Figures `1 and 3 is illustrated in the position relative to the bow that it will'iasto defiect laterally toward the bow, and ricochet upon striking the same. For example, because the power of a bow is limited the arrow must be as light in weight as possible, Consequently, the strength of the arrow is limited with the result that the arrow will fiex or bend.

Further, various other circumstances cause the arrow to ricochet. For example, during the acceleration of the arrow in the bow the arrow will flex in a horizontal plane because of the sudden force applied thereto by the same and will as a result Strike the side of ,the bow `and ricochet. Then again, an arrow may be slightly bent, this being a Common condition. The curvature, if it has any horizontal components, will cause the above mentioned undesirable characteristics. Then again, a large majority of long bows manufactured are of the, side shot" type. This means that a straight line from the string of a bow to the target is interrupted by the bow handle, forcing the arrow to be projected around the bow. This causes the arrow to strike the bow and ricochet. Then again, the archer may release the string in an improper manner, resulting in its deviating to right' or left, again producing the undesirable results mentioned. 'Still fursume When it is at full draw, ready to be released.

The arrow as shown includes the usual shank 16, having at its head end a pointed tip 18.

My arrow rest has been generally designated at 20, and includes bow-attachable means in the form of a clamp memberhaving an elongated, flat bight portion 22 in tegral at its opposite ends with laterally projecting extensions 24, 26. Extension 24 has at its free end rearwardly extending points 25 at the top and bottom of the extension designed to bit e into the bow handle to hold the clamp member against lateral deviation from its assigned position, and thus, in this position oftheclamp member the bight portion 22 need not be in face to face contact with the side of the bow.

The extension 26 is spaced rearwardly from the bow handle a substantial distance as shown in Figure 3, and has a center opening receiving the shank of a clamp screw 28 Which is threadedly engaged in a nut `30 welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the outer surface of extension 26. By reason of this arrangement, when the screw 28 is turned home against the adjacent surface of the bow', it will draw the extension 24 tightly against-the opposite Surface, thus clampably engaging the clamp member with the bow handle With said clamp member extending hQ' zontally, normallyto-the length of the bow'han'dle;

` 'Integrally formed upon the loWer edge of the bow portion '22 is an outwardly projecting flange '32 of angular Cross section, said flange having an outer edge portion eX- tending .upwardly and inclined slightly in a direction toward the big'ht'portion 22. As a result, the 'flange 'and bight portion cooperate to define a dovetail groove or channel, open at its opposite ends and extending the length of the clamp member, said channel extending parallel to the arrow 14 When the device is in use as' shown in Figure 1.

Wedgingly engaged in the channel is an elongated block 36 having an outer side surface formed With a recess 38 of angular section to complement the inclination of the upwardly projecting longitudinal lip of the flange 32. The block has its top surface disposed in a horizontal plane intermediate the top and bottom edges of the bight portion, with said plane of the top surface of the block being disposed a short distance above the upper edge of the lip of flange 32.

A vertically disposed, blade-like guide element 40 is secured along its lower longitudinal edge to the top Surface of the block 36, intermediate the opposite side surfaces of the block, and similarly Secured to the outer side Surface of the block and projecting laterally, outwardly therefrom is a second guide element 42 disposed in a horizontal plane. The guide element 40, due to its position upon the block, is spaced outwardly a short distance from the adjacent side of the arrow.

The two guide elements in the illustrated embodiment of the invention are formed from short lengths of feathers; generally in the shape of a parallelogram in configuration With the opposite end edges of the guide elements inclining forwardly from the bow in a direction away from the block.

The use of feather material has the desirable result that the guide elements will normally remain in the positions thereof shown in Figure 2. At the same time, however, the feather material is fully yieldable so as to permit its collapse under pressures exceeding a predetermned value, to permit an arrow to pass with a minimum of resistance. The feather material furnishes a firm surface that upon casual contact will not yield, but Which upon being pressed sharply or with a weight of over a predetermined amount, as for example one-quarter of a pound, will collapse in the manner referred to. The material, at the same time, does not maintain a resisting pressure against the arrow and the resultant action is, So to speak, that of a shock absorber, as distinguished from that of a spring.

In this connection, any material which Will have the above mentioned characteristics can be used, feather material being one such material although many others may be usable to equal advantage.

In Figure 5, there is illustrated a modified construction wherein the clamp member is identical to that of the first form, However in this form the block is substantially greater in length than the length of the clamp member, so that the rear end of the block iS disposed rearwardly from the bow a substantial distance. The specific purpose of the rearward location of the rest is to allow the use of a shorter, lighter arrow commonly known as an over draw. It is a feature of the invention that itis adapted for use with such arrows, with the difierent forms of the device being readily interchangeable according to the arrows being used. The guide elements have been designated 4011, 4261 and are formed similarly to the analogous elements 40, 42 of the first form of the invention.

By reason of this arrangement, the tendency of the arrow toward lateral deflection is counteracted ata location rearwardly from the bow, that is, at a location intermdiate the bow and the point of release of the arrow, in a manner that has been found eflective in preventing ricocheting of the arrow. g

In both forms of the invention the device has the characteristic of providing a rest for the arrow which, at the same time, does not ,resist passage of the arrow in any `ing the arrow from deflectng laterally and striking the how. The vertically disposed guide element is of particular importance in discharging the last named function. Considering, as in Figures 1 and 3, that the arrow is at full draw, the Vertical element will support the arrow outwardly a short distance from the adjacent side of the bow with the arrow being held quite accurately and firmly in a horizontal plane.

Upon release of the bow string, the arrow is propelled forwardly and in the event any of the circumstances mentioned in the objects occur, and the arrow exerts any pressure against the Vertical guide element as a result, said guide element will yield, due to the fact that the material of Which it is composed is adapted to collapse as necessary While still being held against collapse to such an extent as Would cause the arrow to strike the side of the bow.

The ability of the guide element to collapse in this manner is heightened, in this regard, not only by the material of which it is composed, but also by reason of its outer configuration, that is, its parallelogram shape and its inclination in a forward direction.

The arrow thus passes with a minimum of resistance so far as the rest is concerned, and With no pressure eXerted against the arrow in a lateral direction Such as would result if the guide element or Other components of the rest were'of springy material.

The rest, and in particular the Vertical guide or rest element 40 or 4061 thereof, Compensates for pressures exerted in a lateral direction resulting from improper holding of the bow and from any of the other circumstances mentioned. The rest absorbs the various pressures eX- erted upon it and permits the arrow to leave the bow in the same way under many different conditions. The rest, as illustrated and described, is firm enough to hold the arrow in an accurately determined position for aiming until the arrow is released, but from the instant of release until the arrow is beyond the bow, both the arrow and 'the bow may be moved toward each other without deflection of the arrow by contact with the bow or With any rigid object attached to the bow.

Various other conditions are encountered during the use of'a bow that tend toward causing lateral deviation of the arrow at the instant it is propelled, and need not be discussed in detail herein. It is sufficient to state, it is believed, that the device prevents said contact, While still offering no resistance to passage of the arrow from the bow.

It is believed clear that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor changes in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended Claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An arrow rest for an archer s bow comprising support means connectable t-osaid how; and an arrow-supporting guide on the support means including Vertical and 'horizontal guide elements in which the horizontal element eXtends l'aterally outwardly of the bow from the bottom edge of the Vertical guide element, for supporting an arrow against the elements within the angle defined thereby, each element being' a thin, flat blade of a material that yields readily in directions both angular to and following the plane of the blade under pressures eXerted thereagainst by an arrow passing out of the guide on discharge from the bow, and that has a resilience suflicient to return the blade to its original position after the arrow has passed While yet ofiering no noticeable resistance to the pres ures.

by the Support means and the'horizontal element extends l laterally outwardly of the bow from the bottom edge of 'the Vertical element for supporting an arrow against the elements Within the angle defined thereby, each element being a Wl1olly flat blade of a thinness and of a material such that'the blade yields readily in drections both an' gular to and following the plane of the blade under pros sures exerted thereagainst by the arrow passing out of the guide on discharge from the bow, Said material having a resilience Sufficent to return the blade to its original position after the arrow has passed While yet offering no noticeable resstance to said pressures.

3. An arrow rest for an archer's how comprising support means connectable to said bow and having an undercut open-ended channel eXtending in a path substantially paralleling that in Which an arrow passes from the bow; and an arrow-supporting guide on the Support means including an elongated block of a Cross section complementing that of the channel, said blockbeing wedgingly engaged in the channel, said guide further including Vertical and horizontal guide elements connected to and projecting outwardly from the block adjacent one longitudinal edge of the block, Said elements .form-ing a right angle in Which the Vertical element is spaced outwardly from the edge of the Vertical element for 'supporting an arrow' against the elements Within the angle defined thereby, each element being a Wholly flat blade of a thnness and of a material Such that the blade yields readily in directions both angular to and following the plane of the blade under pressures eXert-ed thereagainst by an arrow passing out of the guide on discharge from the boW, Said material having y a resilienee suflicient to return the blade to its original boW by the support means and the horizontal element ex- 3 tends laterally outwardly from the bow from the bottom position after the arrow has passed While yet offering no noticeable resistance to said pressures.

4. An arrow rest for an archefs boW comprising vertical and horizontal guide elements connected to said bow, said Vertical guide element extending upwardly along side the side of the bow and the horizontal element extending laterally outwardly of the bow from the bottom edge of the Vertical guide element, said guide elements defining an angle and `being adapted to Support an arrow Within the angula'r juncturc thereof, each of Said elements being a thin, flat blade of a material that yields readily in directions both angular to and following the plane of the blade under pressure eXerted thereagainst by an arrow passing out of the guide elements on discharge from the bow and having a resilence suflicient to return the blade to its original position after the arrow has passed While yet offering no noticeable resistance to the pressures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

